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Halloween brings upswing of pumpkin-themed crime

Suspicious Activity

Digging a hole to...China?: An officer was dispatched to the 1400 block of Granada Avenue North Nov. 1 to check out a suspicious activity report. Upon arrival, the caller showed police a 5-foot deep by 3-foot wide hole in the ground in a nearby wooded area. Inside the hole were two spade shovels, a shopping cart and a pair of pruning shears. The hole had been covered up by a piece of plywood. The officer photographed the area and notified the public works department to fill the hole.

Pumpkin permit: Police were sent to the 8000 block of 9th Street Way North the afternoon of Nov. 2 to look into a person possibly soliciting without a permit. A resident had called to report an older man in a Buick that had asked if he could have their Halloween pumpkins. When the resident said no, the man reportedly “became indignant.” The officer was able to look up the plates of the vehicle but could not locate a phone number for the owner.

Property Damage

Painting the town: Multiple instances of vandalism were reported to Oakdale police the evening of Nov. 1 after several residents on the 2600 block of Granite Avenue Circle North noticed paintball marks on their vehicles. An officer searched the area, but did not see anyone. There are no suspects.

The work of a ‘con-cretin’: A resident on the 1300 block of Gentry Avenue North called police Nov. 2 after she discovered the front passenger-side window of her vehicle had been smashed with a concrete rain catch basin. In addition to the broken window, she said her wallet and its contents, including $19, driver’s license and two debit cards, were stolen.

An expensive jack o’ lantern: On Nov. 3, a resident of the 2300 block of Hallmark Avenue North called police around 6 a.m. to report that someone had thrown a pumpkin through a double-pane window on the back of her house. The damage is estimated at about $950. There are no suspects.

Thefts

Trailing off: A resident of the 7500 block of 5th Street North called Oakdale police Nov. 6 to report the theft of items worth approximately $2,710. The goods had been stored in a padlocked trailer attached to her vehicle. In addition to cutting the padlocks off the trailer, the prowler broke the rear hatch to the vehicle. Amps, subwoofers, a stereo, snowmobile gear, plastic filing cabinet and a toolbox were reported missing. The damage to the trailer and vehicle was estimated at about $500.

Child’s play: Approximately 20 miscellaneous PlaySkool toys have been stolen from a residence on the 1100 block of Greystone Avenue North over the past month, according to a theft report filed Nov. 3. The caller requested special patrols of the area. The total value of the toys is estimated at about $500. There are no suspects.

Miscellaneous

Corporate conspiracy: On Nov. 1 an officer was sent to the 1500 block of Granada Avenue North on a fraud report filed by a man who believed his apartment building company could be involved in fraud because it misspelled the word “corporation” on one of its refrigerator magnets. The officer advised the man it was most likely a simple mistake.

Forgot his car: Around 6 p.m. Nov. 2, a man was taken to Ramsey County Detox after walking out into traffic in front of oncoming vehicles near the intersection of 7th Street North and Glenbrook Avenue North. The officer located the man, who appeared to be intoxicated, on the shoulder of the road, where he blew a .249 blood-alcohol concentration. He was issued a ticket for being a public nuisance.

Toxic teen tested and towed: An officer observed a vehicle driving 61 miles per hour in a 40 mile-per-hour zone near the intersection of 10th Street North and Geneva Avenue North around 9:45 p.m. Nov. 2. After the officer mounted a chase, the vehicle pulled into a driveway in an attempt to escape. However, the officer was not fooled and was able to stop the motorist. The driver of the vehicle turned out to be a 19-year-old from Richfield with a revoked driver’s license who smelled of alcohol. A preliminary breath test proved the minor had a .073 blood-alcohol content. He was issued a citation and released with the two passengers. The vehicle was towed from the driveway.